DESKTOP 1705 - POND

At the Darebin Parklands in suburban Melbourne. A fine, early Autumn day.

This post is part of the Weekend Greens meme,
and also part of the Weekend Reflections meme.

DESKTOP 1704 - SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme.

DESKTOP 1703 - TEATREE

Leptospermum is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, which is native to Australia, New Zealand. Called "teatree" because Captain James Cook in the 18th century brewed a tea from the leaves and gave it to his crew as a scurvy preventative. These are substantial and useful plants all year round; soft and casual looking (never rigid or formal).

Most make a display of five-petalled single flowers (somewhat like tiny wild roses) along stems among the small leaves. Petals surround a hard central cone or cup that matures to a woody seed capsule that hangs on for a long time after the petals drop. Flowers are typically white, pink, or red. Leptospermum scoparium shown here is the double form, with light pinkish white flowers that darken as they mature.

The species has many varieties, which are valuable garden plants, most growing from 1 to 3 metres tall and wide. Not as bold in form or as serviceable in hedges and screens as Leptospermum laevigatum, but the beautiful flowers are showier: Single or double, in white, pink, or red, profuse in spring and summer. Branches densely set with small needlelike green/burgundy leaves. Good in containers.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1702 - LEAF

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1701 - TASMANIA

Richmond is a town in Tasmania about 25 km north-east of Hobart, in the Coal River region, between the Midland Highway and Tasman Highway. At the 2006 census, Richmond had a population of 880. Richmond's most famous landmark is the Richmond Bridge, built in 1823 to 1825, around the time of the town's first settlement. It is Australia's oldest bridge still in use.

St John's Catholic church was built in 1836, and is considered the oldest Roman Catholic church in Australia. The town was initially part of the route between Hobart and Port Arthur until the Sorell Causeway was constructed in 1872. Richmond is best known as being preserved as it was at that time. It is a vibrant tourist town, with many of the sandstone structures still standing.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1700 - RAIN

After about two months with no rain at all, it has rained in Melbourne, on and off for two days. The weather is cool too, and of course that means Autumn is officially here!

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Macro Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 1699 - PRINCES BRIDGE

Princes Bridge (originally Prince's Bridge), is an important bridge in central Melbourne, Australia that spans the Yarra River. It is built on the site of one of the oldest river crossings in Australia. The bridge connects Swanston Street on the north bank of the Yarra River to St Kilda Road on the south bank, and carries road, tram and pedestrian traffic. The present bridge was built in 1888 and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. Because of its position, Princes Bridge is often a focal point for celebratory events in Melbourne such as the Moomba Festival, New Years Eve and many celebrations taking place on the Yarra River where it flows through the city.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,
and also part of the My Sunday Photo meme,
and also part of the Photo Sunday meme.

DESKTOP 1698 - EARLY MORNING

An early morning walk in the park, the fog is lifting as the sun rises and there are some very happy dogs running around!

This post is part of the Weekend Green meme,
and also part of the Saturday Critters meme,
and also part of the Camera Critters meme.

DESKTOP 1697 - ORANGE SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme,
and also part of the Orange you Glad It's Friday meme.

DESKTOP 1696 - GUM TREE

Eucalyptus leucoxylon, commonly known as the Yellow Gum, (South Australian) Blue Gum or White Ironbark, is a small to medium-sized tree with rough bark on the lower 1-2 metres of the trunk, above this, the bark becomes smooth with a white, yellow or bluish-grey surface. Adult leaves are stalked, lanceolate to broad-lanceolate, to 13 x 2.5 cm, concolorous, dull, green.

Flowers in white, pink or red appear during winter. E. leucoxylon is widely distributed on plains and nearby mountain ranges or coastal South Australia, where it is known as the Blue Gum and extends into the western half of Victoria where it is known as the Yellow gum.The species has been divided into numerous varieties and subspecies. A spectacular red-flowered form of uncertain provenance Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Rosea’ (shown here) is widely planted as an ornamental plant, it flowers profusely in winter.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.